Let's Leave While We're Happy
by Beanpot
Summary: Written for Teal'c Ficathon, Spoilers for Season 8. Sam and Teal'c on a roadtrip to Area 51.


Written for the Teal'c Ficathon and Post Season 8

**Let's Leave While We're Happy**

Sunrise wasn't due for hours as the back gate of the van closed with an abrupt clunk before Teal'c flipped the latch shut and secured it with a lock he had obtained from Sgt. Siler. The cargo inside was precious and it was his job to ensure every item made it to their destination. He walked back into the small house and made his way to the now bare kitchen where Col. Carter was pouring coffee from the local deli into a thermos.

"It's a good thing we both like it black," she said as screwed on the top. "Okay, we have fruit and cookies from Mrs. Halowitz next door. That should keep us going until we hit Utah."

Teal'c looked at the bounty in the cooler before he closed the lid and tucked it under his arm. Col. Carter thanked him with a smile, and then glanced around her now empty home. Squares of faded paint where pictures of family once hung stood out in the morning sun and dust from the commotion of packing danced in the sunbeams. Teal'c watched as her shoulders curled forward in sadness. Without looking at him, she said, "I'm going to take one last look around. Make sure I didn't miss anything."

Teal'c nodded, understanding her need to be alone, and answered, "I will be in the truck when you are ready."

He walked to the U-haul and slid into the driver's seat. He'd offered to drive the first leg of the trip to Nevada. Teal'c knew that Col. Carter would not have slept the previous night despite the exhaustion of packing, loading furniture, and worrying about leaving one life for another. He adjusted the mirrors and flipped through the meticulous trip plan Col. Carter had laid out for them. Cheapest gas stations, best locations for food, cleanest rest areas had all been color-coded on a map. Daniel Jackson and O'Neill teased her when they saw it; Cassandra Fraiser just grinned before saying, "It's why we love her."

He traced his finger along their route: I-25 to Co-470 to I-70 until Vegas and then a long drive north on a dark road until they hit Area 51, tucked within Creech AFB. The map printout said it would take roughly 12 hours, but he knew with the two of them driving, it would take less than that. The passenger door opened and Col. Carter slid into the van.

"Okay," she said. "Let's get this show on the road."

Teal'c put the van into gear and gently pulled away so as not to jar the cargo behind him. Col. Carter did not look back as they made their way to the highway.

A few hours later, the road had become monotonous. Teal'c glanced over to see Col. Carter was still asleep and he let her be as he had seen the toll the last weeks had been on her. For a person able to adapt to even the most bizarre situations, she was quiet as things at the SGC and their team shifted to a new path. She became even more taciturn as the time had come to move.

If Teal'c was honest, he too was bothered by the changes. Within a mountain on a planet far from home, he had found unconditional support and loyalty. The truth was that he was unsure if he was returning or leaving home.

A sign broke up the stillness of the roadside, heralding the exit for their lunch break. He reached over and stilled his hand above her shoulder. Her off world senses kicked in as she abruptly woke up and turned to face him. Her eyes slightly bleary from sleep, she glanced around before shifting to a full upright position and reached for the map. She glanced at her watch and smiled, "Oh, good. Lunch."

They were able to grab one of the spots left in the packed parking lot of the small diner. A line was forming up against the building as patrons clung to the last bits of shade. Teal'c reached behind his seat to pull out the Canucks baseball cap given to him by O'Neill and shoved it over his tattoo. As they joined the line, Teal'c recognized the outside of the place. "Was this not on the Food Network recently?" he asked.

"Yeah. I know how much you love the show so I thought we'd hit up a few places on our trip," Col. Carter replied. Teal'c preformed a slight bow in acknowledgement and smiled slightly in anticipation. If he recalled correctly, this place was known for its banana pecan waffles and homemade chicken sausage served 24 hours a day. As they waited their turn for a table, she said with surprising force, "I'm going to miss Daniel."

Teal'c kept his eyes on the toddlers running around the parking lot and took a few moments to reply, "As will I." For a brief moment, he felt Col. Carter gently lean into him and he shifted his weight to take on her sadness.

Twenty minutes later, their waitress deposited their plates in front of them and they exchanged grins as real syrup mixed with melting butter to form a pool on which the fluffy pancakes floated. Twenty minutes after that, they pushed their now empty plates away from them and sighed in contentment. Teal'c leaned back in the booth and scanned the other customers for anything abnormal – young couple fighting, trucker drinking water, older couple in the stillness of contentment - then focused back on his teammate. She was dragging her fork through the remnants of the syrup and her eyes were unfocused.

"Perhaps, Col. Carter, we can go on a longer trip with Daniel Jackson and O'Neill in the future. I believe they would find these diners appealing," he said.

Col. Carter put her fork down and grinned. "I think we could convince the General to eat his way across the States." She put her fork down and reached for the bill. "Time to go. I'd like to do this in one day and we're falling a little behind schedule."

A few hours later, with Col. Carter at the wheel, they saw an older man on the side of the road attempting to fix a flat tire. Teal'c leaned forward and Col. Carter, reading his mind like always, put the truck blinker on and slowed down to pull over. They climbed out and walked back to the car. The man stood up and looked even frailer than Teal'c thought. Col. Carter stepped forward and said, "Afternoon, sir. Need any help?"

The man's shoulders dropped in relief. "Yes, thank you. The name's Joe and these arms aren't what they use to be." Joe extended the tire iron out and Teal'c took it.

He bent down and began to twist the lug nuts off, making quick work of them. As he did so, he heard Joe ask Col. Carter, "What brings you two out this way? Moving?"

"Yes. I've been transferred," she answered as she walked around the vehicle looking for any other damage and checking the rest of the tires.

"Oh, you're in the military?" Joe asked, turning way from Col. Carter and addressing Teal'c.

"No," said Teal'c. "Col. Carter is." He picked up the spare tire and questioned the ability of it to move the vehicle more then a few feet.

"Oh." Teal'c looked up and saw Joe staring at Col. Carter with a quizzical look. "Army?"

"Air Force," she told him, her body language tense. Teal'c was unsure if she was keeping herself from strangling the old man or laughing at him.

"Really? I was in the Army Air Corps during World War 2. Was a navigator in the B2 bombers – best time of my life being up in the clouds."

The tire slid on with a thunk. Col. Carter replied, "I love those planes. I'm amazed they ever got off the ground."

"I sat in them and trust me, so am I. So tell me, where are you headed?"

"Nellis," Col. Carter replied, using the name of the more known base as people reacted oddly when you mentioned Creech or Area 51.

Teal'c interrupted, "Col. Carter will be taking a command there. It is a great honor." He did nothing to mask the pride in his voice and went to retighten the bolts.

"Well, congratulations," Joe said as he gave a sloppy salute. "My commanders were never as pretty as you."

Teal'c stood up to face them and saw Col. Carter's eye roll. With a smile known to send people fleeing, he said, "Nor were they as intelligent or brave. Your car is repaired; drive carefully to the next exit and we can follow to ensure your safe arrival."

"Thanks, young man, but I think I'll be okay," said Joe, oblivious to the mixture of amusement and frustration he was causing. He extended his hand to both of them. "So how do I repay my Good Samaritans?"

Col. Carter glanced at Teal'c and asked, "Know of any good places for a quick bite?"

Having followed Joe's loose directions, they were sitting in a run-down shack by the side of a back road, waiting what was promised to be the best fried chicken north of the Mason Dixon Line. A surly teenager shoved a plate piled high with chicken in front of them, followed by bowls filled with baked beans, hot biscuits with honey, and coleslaw.

Teal'c picked up a thigh and bit through the rich, but not to thick, crust. It was hot, not greasy, but just juicy enough to run down his hands. He looked across the table to see Col. Carter licking her fingers. She jammed her spoon into the baked beans and it remained standing. "Perfect," she said.

They ate in silence and it was during the dessert of peach cobbler when Col. Carter spoke again. "Thanks, by the way, for the support back there."

"You are welcome." He licked the remaining ice cream off the spoon before continuing, "Perhaps I should have removed hat and told him I was sent to Earth to destroy humanity." Teal'c thought her laughter was sweeter than the ice cream.

The next driving shift was his, and so he announced it was his right to control the radio. "Fine," said Col. Carter. "Tell me when to stop." One of the things he loved most about this planet was the variety - food, music, books, movies, religion– that unfolded over centuries of non-molestation from inter-planetary forces. He was used to diversity, but he remained impressed by the sheer volume contained on one planet.

"Stop," he said as the radio scanned across a station playing a song he enjoyed.

"Country?" Col. Carter asked.

Teal'c nodded and replied, "I enjoy the Man in Black."

Col. Carter leaned back in the seat and said, "We'll have to get you some of his music before you leave." A few minutes of silence passed by before she continued, "You must be excited about going home."

He did not answer right away, feeling the road slip away beneath them. "Yes."

Night had fallen hours before when they finally pulled up to the main gate of the base. The young guard stepped back, his eyes wide as he scanned Teal'c's papers, and waved them through. A few minutes later, they were pulling into the temporary quarters for the night. The next morning, they would drive to Col. Carter's rented house and begin unloading. Teal'c planned to scare a couple of young airmen into assisting while he and Col. Carter supervised.

They walked down the empty hallway to their rooms in silence. Their rooms were next door to each other, but before they parted, Teal'c turned to Col. Carter and said, "Col. Carter, I thank you for your assistance in freeing the Jaffa and defeating the Gau'old. It has been the highest privilege to serve with you.

Col. Carter stood there silently, her eyes crinkling with unshed tears. She stepped forward, wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. "You too." She stepped back and gripped his hands in hers before walking away.

Teal'c entered his room and sat on the bed, and once again wondered if they had all made the right choice to leave.


End file.
